Erhard Loretan Killed in Alps

by Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC May/2011This news story has been read 8,201 times

Swiss mountain guide Erhard Loretan - the third climber to top out on all fourteen 8000m peaks - has been killed whilst guiding on the Grünhorn (4043m) in the Bernese Alps, Switzerland.

Loretan, who was perhaps best known for his ground-breaking two day ascent of Everest back in 1986, had an impeccable CV in Himalayan mountaineering, including his 1983 hatrick of 8000m peaks climbed within a 17 day period: Gasherbrum II (8035m), Gasherbrum I (8068m) and Broad Peak (8091m).